Power driven can opening machine



G. P. AMES POWER DRIVEN CAN OPENING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 5, 1934 Izzy I I l I H IWENTOR, 6247! Kim ATTORNEY.

- Aug. 13, 1935. I GRAMES 2,011,170-

POWER DRIVEN CAN OPENING MACHINE Filed Oct. 5, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 X? i /I mat!" Z3 7 j r// //Z/ E u I l i: e a 1| j F for H ii Q 6 Q i M 170" 52 FE 1 1 INVENTOR,

'aoyelfmas BY AI'IURNEY.

Patented Aug. 13, 1935 PATENT OFFICE rowan DRIVEN can OPENING MACHINE George P. Ames, Springfield, Mass. Application October 5, 19:4, Serial No. 747,026,

5 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in power driven can opening machines, and is in improvement of my can opening machine for which Letters Patent of the United States of America, #1345313, were granted to me on February 16, 1932.

An object of the present invention is to provide a can opening machine having means for rotating the can, a knife, a carrier for the knife, a A

motor for operating the can-rotating means, a switch on the carrier, and operative connecting means between the knife and the switch, whereby when the knife is engaged in the can cover and the can held against its rotating means, the switch will be automatically closed, and, when the knife and can are released, the switch will be automatically opened.

A further object of this invention is to provide, in such a machine, a single operating lever for controlling the knife, the carrier clutch, and the motor control switch, this lever being also instrumental in holding the can against the canrotating means.

These, and other objects and advantages, will be more completely described and disclosed in the specification, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

Broadly, my invention comprises a platform for supporting a can to be opened, a rotatable, grooved, or toothed driving post, against which the can is held for imparting rotation to the can during the opening operation, a motor, operative connecting means between the motor and the candriving post, guide posts on either side of the toothed driving post, a carrier member slidably mounted on the guide posts, a clutch onthe carrier for engaging the guide posts to hold the carrier in operating position, a knife holder pivotally supported on the carrier, a knife in the holder, 8. motor control switch on the carrier and operatively engaged by the knife holder, and a lever on the carrier. for operating the clutch and the knife holder, whereby, when the lever is operated to force the knife through the can top and hold the can against the toothed driving post, the switch will be closed by the knife holder.

'A preferred embodiment of my invention is Fig. 4 is a plan, sectional view on the line 4--4 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the knife holder.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, in which like numerals refer to like parts through- 5 out:

A boxlike base member I has formed thereon posts 2 to the top 3 of which is removably secured a bearing plate 4. A motor 5, in the base I, is operatively connected through a speed reducing unit 6, to a toothed driving post I, rotatably supported between the base I and the plate 4. Guide posts 8 are also secured between the base I and the plate 4. A carrier member 9 is slidably supported on the guide posts 8, and has pivotally secured thereto a clutch plate ID. A knife holder II is pivotally secured by pivot pins, or screws l2, to the carrier 9, and contractile springs l3, secured to the knife holder II and clutch plate ill, normally retains the clutch plate III in engagement with the post 8 to prevent movement of the carrier 9 and also normally holds a knife- I 4, secured in the knife holder H, in inoperative position, re ative to the driving post 1. A motor control switch I5, secured on the back of the carrier 9, is provided with a spring-controlled operating lever 16, which is normally held in open circuit position, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 3, and a projecting portion I! on the holder 'II is positioned to engage the end i8 of the lever it. v

An operating lever I 8 is pivotally secured on the carrier 9 in operative relation to the knife holder II and the clutch plate l0, and is normally held in inoperative position, as indicated in dotted lines at l8 in Fig. 1, by the action of the springs l3, which tend to pull the clutch plate Ill and knife holder H toward each other. When the operating lever 18 is raised to the vertical position, indicated at l8", in Fig. 1, a cam surface I 9 on the lever I 8 engages a camsurface 20 on the clutch plate Ill to release the clutch plate I 0 from engagement on the guide posts 8. When the lever I8 is depressed into the position, indicated at I, in full line in Fig. 1, the knife I4 is forced downwardly and inwardly, piercing the top 2! of a can 22, placed on the. base i and forcing the side 23 of the can 22 against the toothed driving post 1, as indicated in Fig. 2. The clutch plate I0 is now moved on the rods 8.

At the same time, the rear portion ll of the holder is raised, thus actuating the spring-controlled operating lever l6 and closing the circuit to the motor.

The cycle of operation is as f0llows:

A can 22, to be opened, is placed on the base the lever l8 raised from its normal position l8, to release the clutch ID from the guide posts 8; the carrier member 9 is now raised to clear the can 22, and the can 22 placed in position with its side 23 engaging the toothed drive shaft, or post I. The carrier is then lowered, until the knife I4 rests on the top 2| of the can 22. The lever I8 is then moved into the operating position, shown in full lines in Fig. 1, for forcing the knife I through the cover 2|. At the start of this movement, the clutch plate I0 is released and forced into engagement with the posts 8 by the springs l3, thus holding the carrier 9 firmly against vertical movement. Then, the knife I is forced through the cover 2| and, by engagement with the inside, or inner surface of the can side 23, which forces the wall 23 of the can against the toothed drive post I. The switch I5 is now closed by the holder engaging the lever l6 and the can revolved against the knife M by the motor 5, acting through the speed reducer 6 on the toothed drive shaft 1. When the cover 2| is cut out of the can 22, the lever I8 is released by the operator and moved into the neutral position l8 by the springs l3, thus releasing the switch lever l6 and permitting the switch lever It to open the motor circuit, stopping the motor and drive shaft I. The coverless can may then be released, or removed from the base by raising the lever H! to the position l8" and lifting the carrier 9 and its co-operating parts out of the way. Pins, or studs 24, on the carrier 9, limit the movements of the lever IS.

The knife holder I it will be noticed, is formed with an opening H, in which is located the toothed drive post I.

What I claim is:-

1. In a motor-driven can opening machine, a knife, a holder for the knife, a movable carrier for the knife holder and pivotally connected to the knife carrier, a motor control switch on the carrier, and operative connecting cam means between the pivoted holder for the knife and the switch for closing the switch when the knife is in operative position.

2. In a motor-driven can opening machine, a knife, a movable carrier member, a knife holder pivotally supported on the carrier member, a motor control switch on said carrier member in operative relation with said holder, an operating lever on said carrier member in operative contact with said holder, whereby when said holder is actuated by said lever, said switch will be closed by said holder.

3. In a machine for severing the cover portion of a metallic can, a cutter, a movable carrie for the cutter, a support for the can, a toothe rotatablemember for rotating the can, a moto for operating the rotatable member, lever means on the movable carrier for the cutter for simul-.

taneously forcing the cutter through the cover of the can and the can against the toothed rotatable member, a motor control switch on the movable carrier for the cutter, the lever means serving to close the switch when the cutter is forced through the cover of the can, and to open the switch when the lever means is released at the end of the cutting operations.

4. In combination, in a motor-driven can open- ,ing machine, a receiving platform, means for rotating the can, guide rods, a carrier on the guide rods, a knife, a knife support pivotally connected to the carrier, spring means for normally and automatically retaining the carrier on the guide rods, a switch on the carrier, an operating lever on the carrier having a cam surface for operating the spring-controlled means for releasing the carrier on the guide rods, when in one position and said lever serving to closing the switch and forcing the knife through the cover of the can when in another position, and said spring means serving to return the operating lever to its normal position for permitting the carrier and its knife support to be retained on the guide posts, as described.

5. In combination, in a motor-driven can opening machine, a support for the can, means for rotating the can, a carrier, guide means for the carrier, a knife holder pivotally supported in the carrier, a switch on the carrier, clutch means for automatically retaining the carrier positioned on the guide means, a lever for controlling the clutch means of the carrier for causing the clutch means on the guide means to grip the guide means to permit the knife to be forced through the cover of the can and against the can-rotating means for closing the switch to the motor and for opening the switch when the lever is released at the end of the cutting operation.

GEORGE P. AMES. 

